Missed Connections
by pomatterpie
Summary: One where flight attendant Shelby Corcoran spends her time in the skies, searching for something, someone. Then she meets a ten-year-old unaccompanied minor. Little Rachel AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _Started writing this during, you can guess, a recent flight. Lol it's random but hope you all enjoy it. Also for the sake of this story, let's just pretend that the Columbus airport is right by Lima. And I do travel quite a bit but I, by no means, am an expert on the flight attendant profession or the airplane industry, so please chalk any errors or inconsistencies up to creative liberty._

* * *

**Part I**

* * *

"I am not late, not late, not late," Shelby muttered to herself, attempting to alter reality and manifest it out into the universe as she half-jogged, half-power-walked through the John Glenn Columbus International Airport, dragging her poor and defenseless carry-on behind her.

Even with heels on, she outpaced the scores of people walking down the long hallway lined with floor to ceiling windows, maneuvering the crowds effortlessly while trying to avoid twisting her ankles in her absurdly high heels.

As soon as she turned the corner toward the gate, her cell phone rang.

"Hey," she answered as calmly as she could. "I'm on my—"

"You're _late_," Terri Schuester hissed on the other line. "_Where are you?_"

"I'm almost to the gate, I _swear,_" she mumbled as she broke into a full blown-out run. "My professor went over time during class today. Long story, but I'll tell you more about it later."

"Alright fine, just please get here. We're about to make the final boarding announcement and Dustin is getting pissed."

Shelby groaned into her phone and uttered another promise to be there as soon as possible.

_"__This is the final boarding call for passengers booked on United flight 307A to Boston. Please proceed to Gate 13 immediately. The final checks are being completed and the captain will order for the doors of the aircraft to close in approximately five minutes time. I repeat. This is the final boarding call for passengers on United Flight 307A to Boston. Thank you."_

At the sound of the announcement, Shelby hastened her steps while simultaneously attempting to throw her phone back into her leather tote. Failing to pay attention to her surroundings, a man came from out of the blue and bumped into her, causing her to drop the bag in her hand and all of its contents.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," she began to apologize but stopped short when she caught the man's bewildered expression staring down at her in shock. Before she could process anything else, her phone rang again and she hurriedly gathered her things off the ground.

"Miss, I, uh—" the man stammered as he towered over her, his gaze fixed on her intensely.

Shelby looked up noticing that the man was holding his cell phone in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, which appeared to have spilled. "I am _so sorry_, but I have to go," she said as she threw the last few of her things into her purse.

Still flustered, the stranger only shook his head. "It's okay but—"

"_Again, this is the final boarding call for passengers booked on United flight 307A to Boston. Please proceed to Gate 13 immediately."_

"That's me," she shot the man a sincerely apologetic look. "Sorry again!" She ran off toward the gate without another thought to the stranger she had just accidentally bumped into.

She briefly glanced at her phone one more time and winced at the already two missed calls from Terri. With the final boarding call, she had maybe less than five minutes left. She _detested _rushing and she usually was not one who was ever late. She was prompt. Organized. Put-together. It's what made her so good at her job. But lately, she's been distracted. Overwhelmed.

With a sigh of relief, she slowed down her pace substantially as she approached the gate, trying to collect herself and her emotions as much as possible. Slipping on her usually calm and collected demeanor, she untied her deep purple scarf while she unbuckled her black knee-length trench coat to reveal her pristine and neatly pressed navy blazer and pencil skirt.

"You're late," Terri chided from her position at the gate desk, uncrossing her arms to usher the woman past the barrier. "You're supposed to get here _before_ the passengers."

"I know, I'm sorry," Shelby issued a tired sigh while she followed her crew mate leading them down the jet way. "Like I said, my last class ran late and it started snowing by the time I left campus, so traffic was horrible. Security was a mess and then I ran into—"

"Doesn't matter," Terri waved her explanation off as she hustled past to get to the cockpit first. "Just go and put your things away. We also just got word that they have to de-ice the plane so we might actually be a bit delayed. I figured you'd take first class and economy plus tonight and I can do the rest of coach."

"Is she here?"

"And looking for you," Terri confirmed while she helped store the woman's carry-on in the overhead compartment designated for staff.

Shelby nodded as she eased out of her jacket and began to re-apply a fresh coat of her red lipstick. "Do you mind if I go say hi first?"

"Corcoran, nice of you to join us," Dustin Goolsby greeted with a tight grin as he stepped out of the cockpit. "Good to know I don't have to change my entire flight plan because of you."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, captain," Shelby muttered out of the corner of her mouth, pressing and smacking her lips together before doing one last check in her pocket mirror. "I hear we're waiting on clearance to go anyway."

As the captain, Dustin took his job seriously and Shelby definitely understood why. Being a pilot was a tremendous amount of responsibility; however, for him to imply that she didn't respect that, or take that seriously otherwise, simply irritated her. She's worked with him for almost a year now and they usually got along, but sometimes he had a reputation of being a little too hard on his crew.

A couple more stragglers came sprinting from the gate and all three of them shuffled off to the side to let them on, smiling politely and greeting them on board.

"They've just begun de-icing the plane, but I'm going to get some more guidance from airport control on takeoff. Let's just get everyone comfortable and then we can give them more information. I'm hoping we can beat the storm out. Also I realize it's Friday, it's the end of the week, and it's late in the evening, so let's just try to keep everyone happy, shall we?"

Shelby and Terri nodded at the unnecessary instructions. They've both been working this flight from Columbus to Boston over the past nine months, so it was certainly not their first time around the block. Shelby has also been a flight attendant for almost ten years now. She was a young college graduate looking for something new, something different, after _it_ all happened when she impulsively decided to sign up for a flight training program. It was the opportunity to travel, to get away from it all, or as her mother often put it, to run away, that drew her to the profession.

In the past, she'd had dreams of being an actress, of being on Broadway, specifically, but those ambitions went away as soon as she left _her_. It's not to say that she had any regrets over her career choice. Throughout the years, she's genuinely enjoyed her job. She's even found success in it. At almost thirty five, she had spent the past decade working her way up the hierarchy, earning her seniority, and eventually, jet setting and leading crews all around the world.

She was based in New York City for almost eight of the ten, and it was an exhilarating way to spend her youth. It taught her independence and the ability to handle a number of unique situations. It provided her flexibility and freedom and bliss. It brought new experiences and adventure and people into her life. It fulfilled her.

And it distracted her. Wholly and effectively.

But lately, it's been different, tiring. At some point, the novelty of it all wore off. The allure of it faded. As she got older, the demands of the job became more grating to her. The odd hours, the perpetual exhaustion, the airport terminals, and the hotel rooms, no proper place to call her own or any true opportunities to experience the same things as those her own age: a partner, a family, a home, eventually and finally caught up to her.

And when her mother got sick last year, she took it as a sign. To make some changes. To go back.

She returned home to Columbus to be closer to her family almost two years ago now. She took a step back and asked her boss if she could go back to working regional and continental flights. And knowing that she no longer wanted to spend the rest of her life as a stewardess, she went back to school part-time. She decided a few months ago she wanted to become a teacher. Music, performing arts, and theater were all things she was still passionate about and she wanted to bridge the two. She'd hoped that by the end of next year, after she received her degree, she could be a teacher at a local high school and she could move on—to something new again. To something more.

"I'm going to go walk down the aisle to assist passengers and make sure that we're all set," Terri said, jostling her out of her thoughts. "Can you stay here and wait for any last minute passengers? It's not a full flight but I think mostly everyone that we're expecting is on board. We should be closing the doors and taxying soon."

"Sure," Shelby replied, grateful that her co-worker turned friend left her with the easier task. She still felt rather winded from her sprint across the airport.

"I'm just going to say hi to—" Shelby started.

"—Oh and Rachel's looking for you," Terri said at the same time.

Shelby laughed as she followed the blonde woman through the curtains into the first class section. She smiled politely at the priority passengers that have been seated for a while now. There were only a dozen first class seats on this aircraft and only nine of them were occupied. There was a couple already asleep under one blanket, a college-aged student preoccupied on his cell phone, a businessman still in his suit rifling through a stack of papers on his tray table, a family of four spread across one row, and one little girl all the way in the very back deeply engrossed with her copy of _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. _

Shelby stopped at the final row and smiled warmly at the petite brunette with swimming brown eyes who was leaned up on a pillow placed against the window. "Hey, you. You all ready for takeoff?"

"Shelby, hey!" Rachel Berry greeted brightly, closing her book down in her lap. "You're _late!_" The little girl accused, a bit too loudly. "I thought you weren't going to make it. Captain D looked like his head was gonna explode!"

Shelby chuckled lightly at the ever-contagious enthusiasm from the sixth grader. "Of course I did. I told you I'd always try to schedule these flights out to Boston with you," she reminded with a wink. Her hand acting of its own accord, she reached over and tucked the unkempt hair away behind the girl's ear, smiling when she leaned into her touch. "It's good to see you Rach. How are you?"

"I'm good! Do you think we're going to get to leave on time?" Rachel asked hopefully, turning her head away as she sat up to peer out the frosted window. "It's snowing _sooo_ much and I was on the phone with my daddy on the way to the airport and he said it's storming pretty bad in Boston too."

"Well I hope so, kiddo," Shelby assured, flicking her eyes down at her watch on her wrist then back up at the wintry evening scene outside. It was past time the gate and airplane doors should have been closed, a definite negative sign for their departure. "I promise to let you know if anything changes. I'm just going to go check on the other passengers, do you need anything before we take off?"

Rachel hummed in thought for a bit, scrunching her eyebrows together and tilting her head to the side while an adorably contemplative expression took over her face. "Hmmm.. Could I have some apple juice?" She decided, flashing a semi-toothless grin towards the older woman. "With a straw, pretty please. Thanks!"

"You got it," Shelby couldn't help but laugh at the seriousness of the request. "I'm just going to do my rounds, help prepare for takeoff, and then I'll come back to check on you. Seatbelt, please."

"But we haven't even left the gate yet," the young girl protested with a pouty frown.

Shelby raised her eyebrow ever so slightly at the whine. "Rachel."

The middle schooler gulped at the stern use of her name. "Okay, okay," she yielded, fastening it over her lap. She definitely knew better than to challenge the no-nonsense flight attendant who looked over her. "_There_."

"Thank you," Shelby replied gently. "Be right back, kiddo."

Smoothing down her skirt, Shelby waited for the girl to settle back into her seat and into her book before deciding to go back up to the cockpit to check if Dustin needed anything.

"She's an adorable little girl," the mother of the family in first class said to her as she walked by causing her to stop in her tracks. "Is she yours? Or related to you?"

"Oh Rachel? No," the flight attendant shook her head. "She's actually an unaccompanied minor. I believe her dad started a temporary job out in Boston at the beginning of last summer, so she flies with us frequently to spend one weekend a month with him. We've just gotten to know each other since I often work this flight. She's… not mine, but she's a good kid."

"Wow and they fly her first class every time?"

"Every time," Shelby shrugged. "I think her parents just want her taken care of," she glanced over at the little girl still happily transported over to the wizarding world, a wave of affection washing over her for the young passenger she'd grown extremely fond of. "I mean... I would too."

"Huh, that's interesting," the woman commented, intrigued. "Well, forgive me for the assumption. It's just… she looks just like you."

* * *

About half an hour past their scheduled 7:30 p.m. departure and soon after illustrating the necessary safety procedures, they were finally safely in the air. Shelby settled into her familiar routine, which came to her like muscle memory. As a seasoned flight attendant, it was all routine to her at this point. She'd gone through all the steps too many times to count. She could assist passengers on a flight and perform her duties in her sleep.

Still, every once in a while, she'd pause and stare out the window and get lost in the comforting hum of the engine as they soared upwards and pushed past the clouds. Even after all these years, the thought of being thousands of feet up in the air, in a small corner of the sky, never ceased amazing her. It was a marvel. A privilege. It also soothed something deep within her in a very inexplicable way.

Years ago, when she first started as a flight attendant, she found that being up in the air was the only time she found herself, and her mind especially, at peace. It shut her brain down. It calmed her heart. Up in the air, she didn't have the problems she had back down on the ground. In the sky, she wasn't the woman who was still reeling from the choices she made a lifetime ago. And among the clouds, she didn't have any regrets. To this day, she didn't truly understand it. But as trite as her job could get, being up and away, flying anywhere and everywhere, was her refuge.

After completing her initial round through her section of the cabin, taking orders, answering questions, and making small talk with the passengers, she made her way back up to the beverage cart. Despite the rocky turbulence due to the weather, it was a painless flight so far. The passengers have been easy to manage and they weren't even at 70 percent capacity. Usually, the beginning of December was a slow travel weekend due to Thanksgiving having recently been celebrated and the rest of the holidays around the corner. She always thought of it as the calm before the inevitable holiday travel storm.

"Everything all good in here?" Terri whispered as she approached.

"Yes ma'am, all good," Shelby nodded affirmatively while she scanned her eyes across the contented first class passengers, her sight landing and lingering on top of Rachel's head still buried in her book. "It's quiet tonight."

"It is," Terri agreed, a long drawn-out yawn escaping from her lips. "I'm just glad we were able to get out. I was afraid we were going to have to cancel the flight there for a second. How's Miss Rach tonight?"

"She's good. Preoccupied with one Mister Harry Potter," Shelby answered.

"I see that," Terri said with a chuckle. "She hasn't been able to put that book down. She was reading it at the gate earlier too. It's the second time she's reading through the series? And you only gave her all of the books a couple months ago, right?"

"Yeah, I think it helps distract her from the nerves. You remember how scared and anxious she was the first time she flew with us."

"How could I forget?" Terri recalled the memory as she uncapped her water bottle and took a small sip. "She spent two hours in your arms and wouldn't let go, remember? I had to do double-duty because she wouldn't let you leave her sight. Poor kid was a nervous wreck. I still can't believe that it's the same shy kid we're talking about. She's way more comfortable flying now. Her parents owe you. You really are great with her Shel."

"Well, she's a great kid," Shelby responded honestly, sincerely.

She couldn't quite explain _this _either, but she was drawn to the little girl, who really was not at all that shy once she got to know her. Rachel was a bright and outgoing child with a rebellious nature. She was stubborn and opinionated, not afraid to talk back to adults, but also kind and affectionate, always one to grace her with an unexpected hug. She had a big personality with an even bigger heart. It didn't take too long for Shelby to crack her shell, but once she had, she was absolutely endeared with the young solo traveler who was passionate about all-things musicals and all-things Broadway. It's what they had initially bonded over. Rachel was perfect. The ten-year-old was exactly how Shelby always imagined how _she_ would be.

"I just feel bad that she has to go back and forth. Can't be easy for the girl," Terri sympathized. "But she told me that her birthday's next week, so at least she gets to celebrate with her dad. Have you met him? I walked Rach down to baggage claim last month since Katie couldn't, and he was so nice. Very handsome too. I'm trying to remember his name… I think it was Hiram."

"No," Shelby interrupted, a weird confusion flooding her almost instantly. _Hiram? _It wasn't a common name. But one she thought about often. "When did she say her birthday was?"

"She said Tuesday?" Terri guessed, wondering why the woman seemed to have tensed up so significantly. "I'm not sure, but I—"

Terri stopped mid-sentence and reached out to balance herself as the plane bobbed up and down unexpectedly when strong winds buffeted the plane. She held onto Shelby with her free hand who immediately grabbed onto the beverage cart as an anchor. Terri turned to face her with slight concern when the seatbelt light flashed, intercom chimed, and Dustin's voice suddenly echoed throughout the cabin.

_"__Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We're experiencing some heavy turbulence at the moment, so I'm going to put the seatbelt sign on. We're going to try to climb above the storm until our flight path eases a bit. Nothing to be alarmed about, but please try to remain in your seats with your safety belts fastened until we land. Thank you."_

The plane shuddered again, causing a few overhead storage bins to open. The lights above the cabin also flickered on and off briefly.

Terri smiled nervously. "Looks like the storm followed us. Let me go close those up, then check on coach before I take my seat back there. Let me know if you need help with anything up here?"

"Of course, you too," Shelby nodded distractedly, trying to maintain her own balance as the aircraft jerked from side to side. "I'm actually going to follow you, I want to check on Rach and sit with her since there's an open spot."

Shelby watched Terri clumsily hobble her way toward the back of the cabin before braving her short trek to Rachel's row, almost losing her footing when the floor shook violently again underneath her feet.

A few seconds later, she plopped down next to Rachel in an entirely ungraceful manner, feeling instant guilt when the girl beside her flinched in surprise. "Oh I'm sorry kiddo, you okay?"

"No," Rachel said in a quiet voice, grasping for Shelby's hand when the plane jostled them side to side. "I-I'm scared."

"Hey, it's alright," Shelby assured, drawing calming circles on the back of the child's tiny hand with her thumb. While she was a veteran of bumpy plane rides, she could understand where the little girl's anxiety was coming from. Apart from their very first flight, most of their other trips together had quite literally been smooth sailing compared to this. "It's just some turbulence from the storm, but it's nothing to worry about. We'll be okay. I promise."

Rachel gripped her hand even tighter and leaned toward her casting a terrified and heartbreaking look her way. The first time Shelby met Rachel, her prehensile features and extraordinary expressiveness took her breath away. Her mouth and eyes are always the widest. Her brows are the most furrowed. Her arms are invariably spread in astonishment, exuberance or exaltation. Shelby couldn't get enough of it.

Without another thought, she threw her arm around the frightened child and pulled her to her side, smiling internally when Rachel responded by scooting as close to her as possible.

"Don't go," Rachel pleaded, screwing her eyes shut, turning her body, and burying her head against the older woman's shoulder. "_Please_, Shelly."

Shelby's heart flip-flopped at the adopted nickname reserved only for her favorite passenger. "I'm staying right here, Rach. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Just try to relax, kiddo. It'll be alright."

Rachel let out another whimper when the plane dipped again and Shelby instinctively moved to rub her hand up and down the girl's arm in a soothing manner, attempting to alleviate the tension in her small body. "It'll be okay," she repeated, beginning to feel helpless as the aircraft continued to shake relentlessly. "How about we take your mind off it? Do you want me to read to you? We can keep reading the _Prisoner of Azkaban _together? Did you know that it's my favorite one?"

"Really?" Rachel peeked up at her. "It's mine too. Because of Hermione's time turner and finding out about the Marauders."

"Yeah and it has a pretty cool plot twist at the end, right? I think it's also my favorite of the movies," Shelby added, relief bubbling inside her when she felt Rachel slowly begin to relax in her arms.

"Me too," Rachel agreed after some consideration. "I watched it on TV with my daddy when I was in Boston last. Maybe he can watch it again with me this weekend."

"Does your mom like Harry Potter too?" Shelby asked carefully, slowly realizing that in almost a dozen flights they've taken back and forth between Boston and Columbus together, the girl had not once mentioned a maternal figure in her life.

She always spoke favorably of her dad or daddy, but Shelby just realized she had yet to hear about her mother. Admittedly, she never felt truly comfortable enough to pry about the young passenger's home and family-life. She's dealt with hundreds of unaccompanied minors throughout the years, and there were a myriad of reasons why children flew by themselves. Unlike the mother in first class earlier, she hasn't, or didn't really, think too much of Rachel's situation.

Until tonight. Until right now.

Rachel sat up curiously. "Um no, I don't have one," she replied casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "I have two dads. But no mom."

"W-what?" Shelby choked out, at a loss, as her mind began to make some rapid-fire connections. "Y-you… you _don't_ have a mom?"

"Nope," Rachel shrugged, staring out the window and missing how the flight attendant's complexion seemed to have turned stark white. "I have my daddy Hiram and my dad LeRoy. I guess I do have a mommy out there, but my daddies told me that she gave me away, so I could be with them and we could be a family. I'm… I'm adopted."


	2. Chapter 2

**Part II**

* * *

Shelby drew in gasping breaths as she stared at her reflection in the mirror of the _extremely_ tiny airplane bathroom she had currently locked herself in.

She was reading far too much into this, she _had_ to be. There was no way that the little girl sitting in 3F was _hers_. Rachel couldn't possibly be the daughter she gave up for adoption almost eleven years ago.

She was just tired. Emotional. Sleep-deprived. She wasn't thinking clearly and she was making connections that weren't really there. Drawing conclusions that didn't exist.

Thousands of children get adopted every year. Hundreds fly unaccompanied every month. It was all a coincidence.

It _had_ to be.

It must be.

Still, it was all there. _She_ was all there.

Another pocket of turbulence shook the aircraft and she held her hand out of habit to balance herself against the wall. Her breathing was unsteady. Her heart in a knot. And she found herself getting dizzy.

_Rachel. _

Was it possible?

"_She looks just like you."_

"_I think his name was Hiram?"_

"_I'm adopted."_

Shelby took in another shuddering breath in a failed attempt to appease her need for oxygen. She willed her lungs to work but her chest just felt _so_ tight. Her heart was pounding wildly and she was certain, just _certain_, that it was going to explode out of her chest at any given moment. She closed her eyes and instantly felt nauseous by the force of the tsunami wave of pure, unadulterated panic that crashed right into her.

This has _never_ happened to her before.

She was Shelby Corcoran. She was the embodiment of control. A phenom at avoiding things, _especially_ her emotions. She did not have anxiety attacks. She did not lock herself in closet-sized airplane bathrooms in the middle of her shift. Thousands of feet up in the air. During one of the rockiest flights she's experienced in recent memory.

She absolutely did not lose control.

Then again, she had never come face to face with the baby she birthed and walked away from before.

Maybe. Possibly.

Probably.

A soft but pointed knock on the door broke through her current daze, but just barely. Her mind was reeling. Racing. Twisting and turning at the possibility.

Exploding.

"Shel? Are you in there?"

Shelby opened her mouth to speak but was surprised by the partially strangled sob that had somehow escaped. She also did not _cry_. She looked up at the mirror again and could barely make out her reflection past the foggy mist in her eyes.

"Shelby, I know you're in there. What's going on? Are you okay?"

Control. She needed to regain it.

The flight attendant closed her eyes again and worked to stabilize her breathing, tampering down the onslaught of emotions—the _memories_—that was battering her against the rocks with everything she had.

Breathe. She needed to do it.

"Y-yes. I'm sorry. Can you give me a minute? I'll be out soon, I'm fine."

She didn't sound as sure as she would have liked and she could tell that her coworker had picked up on it when the woman's voice went up an octave.

"Okay. Yeah. Fine. Sorry I just wanted to check on you. But Dustin called back here and… are you sure you're alright? Are you sick? Can I get you anything?"

A moment later, Shelby stepped out of the bathroom still visibly shaken up and very obviously attempting to regulate her breathing. She ignored the way Terri's blue eyes widened in response at her appearance.

"Um can we…" she cleared her throat as she stepped into the back galley. "Can we switch? Can you take care of first class and the other priority passengers for the rest of the flight? And I can take coach and whatever else you need?"

Terri only quirked her head at her friend, thoroughly confused and _concerned_ at how unsettled she was acting. "What happened?" Her brows knitting together, her eyes darkening. "Did a passenger say or do anything to you? Because you know that's unacceptable and we can report it if—"

"Terri, _please_."

The one other thing Shelby Corcoran absolutely did not do was beg. But right now, she was just not above it.

"Shel I—"

"I will tell you everything as soon as we land," Shelby promised with urgency. "I just…Terri, please?"

"Well, okay, sure fine," Terri relented with a worried sigh. "But what about Rachel? She's—"

The ringing of the in-flight telephone broke through the emotionally charged moment between the women. Terri only hesitated briefly before taking it off the hook but pausing to bring it up to her mouth.

"It's Dustin. We have to prepare the cabin for landing. He called a couple minutes ago and we have to make an unexpected stopover at IAD. Logan is closing down all incoming flights until the storm clears. Though at this point, who knows when that'll be. We'll most likely have to spend the night."

* * *

A little more than an hour later, Shelby stood in front of the arrivals and departures board at Dulles International Airport. Her eyes were scanning the screen noticing how many flights to New England were grounded.

As she and Terri learned, more than just their airplane had been rerouted or canceled and the slew of passengers unfortunately all traveling to the northeastern part of the country were scrambling to find shelter. One of the final flights to have landed, most of the hotels near the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area were already booked and those that had vacancies were presumably price gouging.

She glanced around the terminal at the numerous travelers wearing the same look of confusion and exhaustion. There weren't nearly as much as a normal travel weekend, but dozens were still inconvenienced. She wasn't new to diverted flights or unexpected layovers but the blizzard to hit Boston seemed to have come from out of nowhere.

There was no warning at all whatsoever. Nothing on the radar.

Totally and completely unanticipated.

Like _her_.

Then _and _now.

She wasn't _expecting_ to get pregnant during her senior year of college. Not from a casual one-time hookup with one of her friends. It wasn't in her plans to be a single mom before her career could even begin. She'd had dreams back then. Goals. Aspirations that didn't include motherhood.

And she was unprepared and she couldn't have, despite how much she grew to want to, she wouldn't have been able to provide for the baby growing inside of her. From the moment she confirmed she was pregnant, she immediately knew that she wanted _more_ for her daughter. More than what she could've ever given her at that point in her life. More than what her little girl deserved. More than what she could offer. Even if that didn't include her.

She had settled for adoption early in her pregnancy. She promised herself that she couldn't change her mind, under no circumstances. She wouldn't allow herself to. She _forced_ herself to focus. It wasn't about her. It was about the baby. She needed to give _her_ her very best chance to have more, to have everything. She needed this for her baby. This was the best option.

For her. For them.

Despite the fears. Regardless of the guilt.

Even though it ended up breaking her… taking away a piece of her that she's never been able to fill or repair. Not in almost eleven years.

"There you are! Where did you go?" Terri practically growled while she approached, accidentally knocking her carry-on luggage against Shelby's. "Dustin wasn't even done giving us instructions."

"Dustin is not the boss of me," she replied bluntly, keeping her eyes trained on the flight information display system.

Maybe she could catch the next available flight out. To go anywhere. San Diego certainly sounded nice at this time of the year. Away from the freezing temperatures. The random blizzards. The child she gave away once upon a time ago.

"Where's Rachel? Did Katie pick her up?"

"Yeah," Terri replied, her agitation apparent in her tone. "But you should've definitely said bye or something. She's kind of upset and if I were her, I would be too. You totally went MIA and they're sorting out what to do with her dads but the poor kid's practically all alone and Dustin said we might not honestly leave until the morning. What are _you_ doing? Why aren't you with her?"

"_Why aren't you with her?"_

Why isn't she with her? Why wasn't she with her?

Then and _now. _

Shelby felt her stomach tighten into coils and bile rise toward her throat at the thought. She swallowed with difficulty a couple times and willed herself not to run to the bathroom to throw up.

What the hell was she doing? But what can she do?

Rachel was fine. She was with a trusted adult. Someone familiar. Katie was a gate attendant that the girl knew. Rachel was comfortable with her. And she herself knew Katie. She was a kind young woman. She was trained to escort the child. Equipped to help her. Rachel was in good hands. Her daughter was in good hands. Her daughter. Her baby. _Hers. _

Her patience expiring, Terri grabbed Shelby's arm before the woman could even process what was happening and yanked her through and away from the forming crowd in front of the screens. In an impressive speed, she guided them towards a small side hallway for privacy.

"Alright I'm over this," she said before the woman could speak, her hands on her hips, glaring down Shelby's extremely bewildered expression. "What's going on? And don't you dare tell me that it's nothing. You're being so weird. And we all know that losing it inappropriately during work hours is _my _department. Tell me what's happening here."

Shelby hesitated with her mouth open to speak, blinked back the tears she felt forming, and then bit down on her lip, hard. She had never felt so betrayed by her own emotions before.

She felt it swell up within her, the phrase she does not want to say and yet, somehow, by cruel checkmate logic of conversation, is compelled to say.

"I think Rachel's my daughter."

"You think you want Rachel to be your daughter?" Terri asked for clarification, unsure she was hearing correctly. "I mean sure, if I was about that, I would too. She's a cool kid."

"No, I said I think that Rachel… I think she's my daughter."

Terri rocked back on her heels, startled. Of all the things she expected the elusive flight attendant to say, _that_ was certainly not one of them. Not in the slightest.

"Excuse me, _what?"_

Shelby sighed.

"I had an unexpected pregnancy… twelve years ago and I had a baby almost exactly eleven years ago this upcoming _Tuesday, _on December 8. I gave my daughter up for adoption to a man named Hiram. He had a different last name before if it's the same as Rachel's now. He might've gotten married, probably, but he was single back then… he couldn't have his own child but he wanted to be a father, really badly, and I… I met him through the adoption agency in New York, but I do remember that he was from Central Ohio because we had that in common and I… I don't know… I… Terri, oh my god, I think Rachel _is_ my daughter."

* * *

Still in a stupor, Shelby followed Terri down the arrivals terminal first to the crew-only lounge for flight attendants that was already overflowing with disgruntled employees and then to the first class lounge for priority passengers, which was was unusually more sparse and quiet considering the amount of layovers. Still no word on clearance, they decided to stay there instead to try to get some rest.

She felt utterly defeated as she settled into the oversized cushioned seat. Taking her first deep breath in what felt like hours, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, inhaling the stale airport air languidly. To her, it had always smelled like home. She ran a hand through her hair, untangling it with her fingers and exhaled through the numbing panic she felt seeping deep into her bones.

What was she doing? Why wasn't she with her?

"_I'm adopted."_

"Felt like we could both use these," Terri said, occupying the seat across from her a moment later and pushing a glass of red wine across the low table. "You okay? What can I do?"

Shelby eyed the beverage warily before lifting it off the counter, gulping down one sip that went down smoothly through her throat.

"I don't know."

"So where's Rachel's birth father now? Does he know about her?"

Shelby took another deep breath, as if building up the courage.

"He knows about her," she answered weakly. "He knows I put her up for adoption. But he wasn't and didn't really want to be a part of the decision-making process. I… I don't know. We were both so young."

"Typical," Terri deduced with a scoff. "Men."

Shelby shook her head. No. She never harbored any animosity towards him. They were friends. He owned up to it. Claimed responsibility. He was accountable. And he offered to help. In hindsight, she realized that it was her who was reluctant to accept it. It always felt like it was something that she needed to do herself. And no matter which way she sliced it back then, there wasn't an outcome where they could ever co-parent. It wasn't in the cards. She'd never once blamed him. She had made her decision and that was that. She moved on, and she couldn't expect him not to either.

"Where is he now?" The fellow flight attendant continued her line of questioning, her curiosity piqued by it all.

"He's a writer and the last I heard was that he was based in Los Angeles. We haven't talked or seen each other in almost a decade. Maybe even longer. He's… out of the picture. Always has been."

Terri sneered again, frowning in disapproval.

"Was this an open adoption then since you knew about Rachel's dad? Hiram?"

Shelby paused before answering, bracing herself against another wave of dread passing through her.

Another gulp.

"Yes. Kind of. It ended up being more of a semi-open adoption."

"What does that mean?"

Shelby involuntarily winced, steeling herself against the other emotion washing over her. Shame.

"I don't know. We agreed on it all. The pre and post placement phone calls, emails, meetings and pictures shared without mediation from the agency. Hiram was willing to do all of it. I didn't even have to ask. He offered. And at the time, I thought that's what I wanted too but I don't know Terri. We met up three months after Rachel was born and I just… I couldn't do it. It was too difficult—seeing her and then having to say goodbye to her every single time, only knowing her through emails and pictures—it wasn't enough for me. I just couldn't do it. I don't think I was strong enough and it wasn't… it was _hard_."

So she stopped. She ceased all contact from her end. And eventually, right after Rachel's second birthday, the letters and the photos from Hiram ended altogether. It didn't take long after that for her to begin to regret it. She wanted to reach out again but she always backed out at the last minute. A large part of her felt like she had lost the right to. Then, years passed, and the contact information she once had for Rachel's father was no longer valid. The emails bounced back. The phone calls left unanswered. The home address she knew went vacant. So she gave up. Ignorance was… _easier. _

Terri issued a low whistle, reclining back into her seat as she let everything the woman just shared marinate in her head.

"Jesus Shelby, that's a lot. Wow. And you're certain that _this_ Rachel is _your _Rachel?"

Thinking, Shelby remained silent while she swirled the wine around in the glass distractedly. Was she making connections that weren't there?

"Honestly, now that I think about it, she does look an awfully lot like she could be your daughter."

Her daughter. Was she allowed to think of Rachel as _hers?_

One last gulp.

"Terri, where did Katie take Rachel? What's the airline policy on unaccompanied minors and unexpected layovers?"

Catching her expression, Terri sat up in her seat at the severe tone of the question at hand. "I'm actually not sure. It rarely happens since minors under twelve are only allowed to fly nonstop flights unaccompanied. When I left the gate, they were trying to call her dad to see about putting her on the next flight back to Columbus instead, but that's not until early tomorrow morning either. Not sure where they landed."

"So either way, she probably has to stay here alone tonight?" Shelby questioned, guilt burning through her heart as sure as acid burned through metal.

"Well, she has Katie. It's her job. That's why United outsourced this service and why they charge parents hundreds of dollars in fees for this. Unless they're taking her to a hotel? But they wouldn't right? I don't know, but what are you going to do? Are you going to tell her? Should we go look for her? I do feel bad. She was pretty upset earlier."

"I don't know, I—"

The echoing sound of glass shattering drew both of their attention to the direction of the lounge bar, and Shelby's heart leapt to her throat instantly.

"Oh, Rach! Are you okay?" Katie's carrying voice asked from a distance at the spilled and shattered cup of apple juice. "Be careful, watch out for the glass."

As if being pulled by invisible marionette strings, Shelby rose to her feet slowly and struggled to balance herself as _her_ daughter's watery brown eyes locked with hers. "_Shelly!"_

"_She looks just like you."_

"_I think his name was Hiram?"_

"_I'm adopted."_

Rachel. She had to be hers. Her baby.

Crossing the room swiftly, it only took mere seconds for her to meet the little girl running towards her in a flashing flurry and before she knew it, a tiny, sobbing, little body flung itself into her arms.

"Where did you go? Why did you leave me?"

What felt like sincere blinding pain rocketed from her head to her toes as she looked down at the confusion and woe all over her daughter's face, the thick tears hanging from her long lashes, and her bottom lip trembling.

She wrapped her arms around the little girl even tighter as she lifted her up off the ground, carrying and cradling her as close to her body as possible in an almost desperate embrace.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. I am _so _sorry but I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart. Not anymore. I promise. _Not anymore. _I'm here."

* * *

**A/N**_**: **__I feel like exploring more of this AU so expect a few more chapters though I can't say how many yet. TBD, but more soon, likely after an EC update. Thanks guys!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Part III**

* * *

"So, how did that go?" Terri asked cautiously when Shelby approached the lounge bar with an angry scowl marring her usually collected demeanor.

The flight attendant slammed her cell phone down on the counter, opening and closing her mouth while she struggled to gather her thoughts over the unexpectedly tense phone call she just had with Hiram. Her daughter's father. Her daughter. Rachel's.

She shook her head in frustration.

"Not well," she answered truthfully, barely able to suppress a groan while she glanced at the clock. It was past midnight. "Any luck getting a hotel room?"

"No, sorry," Terri replied with a frown. "I was on the phone with the airline but they can't get us any rooms for the night. Everything's booked around the area. They told Katie the same thing, so it looks like we're all stuck here until the morning. At least they have the nap rooms back there. What's the plan with Miss Rach?"

Shelby hesitated to answer and instead inhaled a lungful of air, closing her eyes for a moment.

"_You have no right here."_

"_You gave her up."_

"_I'm her father."_

"_I get to make these decisions."_

Shelby blinked several times, her face crumbling as the overwhelming urge to cry gripped at her insides. She tried to breathe deeply, to keep her heart rate steady, but, again, her chest just felt so tight, like she couldn't get enough air_. _

"He said I shouldn't tell her."

"Well that's absurd," the fellow flight stewardess judged quickly. "You're her mother. She deserves to know who you are."

Shelby drew in another jagged breath.

"Does she?"

"Shelby," Terri remarked with a scolding tone. "Of course she does. I really don't see how you can all just ignore this now. It's not like you just saw Rachel in passing like randomly off the street or something. She knows you. You two have a relationship. It would absolutely make no sense if you kept it all from her now. And besides she's ten, she's not a baby. She'll probably figure it out sooner or later."

"He's her father. Him and LeRoy. They're her parents," Shelby resigned. "They know what's best for her."

"So what? You're her mom."

She was. Wasn't she? Rachel was hers. Half of her. Parts and pieces of her. Did she really have no right here in this situation? Rachel was her daughter. Rachel _came_ from her.

She was her birth mother. But was she her mom? Did she have the right to call herself that? To claim it.

"Listen, what do you want?" Terri asked after the subsequent silence that followed. "Because I'm sure you can fight this. Do you want to be a part of Rachel's life? Cause I know you said it was an open adoption before and I'm sorry if I'm being ignorant because I don't know how it all works but I'm sure if it's what Rachel wants too, you two can have this. Do you have a lawyer?"

Again, Shelby struggled to answer. Not even six hours ago, all she wanted was to get through this Friday evening shift. She just wanted to get to Boston where she could spend her day off doing homework. She just wanted the weekend after a stressful few days. In a blink. How did it all come to this?

"I don't… I honestly can't even think about any of that right now. It's all been too much. There's a lot for me to process," she confessed, running a hand over her face to settle her emotions. "And Hiram said we can discuss more of this in person when we all get to Boston, so I'm still hoping we can all just go slowly and try to resolve this together without escalating it. That's the last thing I want. And I'm not… I am not trying to take Rachel away from anybody here. They're her family, so they have every right to be protective or to be cautious. I walked away before so I haven't exactly given him any reason to trust me here. But I think you're also right Terri, I can't go back. I won't. I just can't… I can't pretend she's not my daughter."

"So you are going to say something to her then?"

Shelby felt her throat choke up. Did she have a right to?

"I want to," she admitted, eyeing her cell phone while their strained conversation flashed through her mind again. She would've reacted the same way, right? She was the one who was interrupting their life. He was only looking out for her. Rachel was his daughter, too.

"But I just can't risk angering Hiram or going against his wishes. He has a point. I gave up the right to make decisions for her. At least legally. I don't want to undermine that. I may be her mother but I'm not her parent. And if I want a shot at this with Rachel, I have to respect what he wants and do it by the book and work this out the right way."

She messed up before and she's grown to regret her decisions in the past more than she can even properly express to herself, to anyone. But at the end of the day, she was going to do what was best for Rachel, whether that included her or not.

"Okay, well, I guess that's fair," Terri relented. "I just wouldn't be able to do that if I were you. It's one thing if we were just talking about it but she's literally right there. And _so _attached to you already."

Shelby nodded her agreement. Truthfully, she didn't know how to either. But it probably wasn't the best idea regardless to drop that news to the ten year old currently stranded in an airport with someone who was essentially a stranger.

"I know, but it's late anyway," she sighed. "I don't think I should be sharing any life altering news way past the kid's bedtime."

Terri could only let out a laugh in disbelief over the entire situation, still at a loss at how to absorb it. "God Shel, I still cannot believe Little Miss Rach is _your daughter._ We've been flying with her for months."

Shelby blanched and seemed to have lost her voice at that remark. It has been months. How did she not make those connections right away? Why didn't she realize sooner? Shouldn't there have been some sort of signal that went off in her brain to alert her that Rachel was _her child_. But there wasn't and she missed it all. Or maybe even refused to see it. Still, there _was _always that feeling. That inexplicable draw she felt towards the ten year old. Maybe it wasn't a glaring red police beacon light. But it was there.

"So she's with Katie?"

"Yup. She just took Rach to the bathroom to get ready for bed a little while ago when you were on the phone. I think they grabbed the last sleep room available over there," Terri gestured to the back hallway of the expansive first class lounge. "Should the weather continue to clear, the first flight out to Logan is at 6:55 a.m. so we still have a few hours. I was going to check in with Dustin and then also squeeze in a quick nap. What about you?"

Shelby yawned on cue at the mention of a nap. Since she's shifted gears and cut down at work a couple years ago, it's been a while since she's unexpectedly spent the night at the airport. Before, she was used to the super early departures, delayed flights, tedious long transit or layovers. But, now, this was just reminding her of just how exhausting this all was. She wasn't cut out for it anymore.

"I'm going to go check in with Rachel and Katie, make sure she's okay," Shelby replied, pocketing her cell phone. "I'll come find you afterwards? Or you come to me? I'll be with Rach."

Terri nodded through her own drawn-out yawn. "Sounds good. And hey, Shel?" She waited for the woman's tired eyes to meet her own. "You're right. This is a lot but thanks for telling me. And you know everything's going to be okay, right? This was fate. Kismet or whatever. Maybe you weren't ready back then, but this is now. It's different. And it'll all be alright somehow because I definitely think you and Miss Rach are meant to be."

The last of Shelby's scowl slowly vanished at the kind reassurances. Maybe she and her daughter were meant to be. But was destiny enough? Was the stars aligning for them to have found each other again in this way _enough_ for her to be granted a place in her life again?

Did she have a right?

* * *

After splashing some cold water onto her face and changing out of her uniform and into a more comfortable pair of jeans and a sweater, Shelby finally made her way back to the designated sleeping rooms at the back for the lounge for the priority passengers. She felt a little more refreshed. Though the weariness from it all seemed to be pressing down on her exponentially now.

"Oh great, there you are," the gate attendant greeted as soon as she stepped into the narrow hallway. "I was just going to look for you. Rach is asking for you again. We changed her into some pj's, brushed her teeth, and just got off the phone with her dads. But I was going to check if they needed any help downstairs, do you mind staying with her? I think she's just about to sleep anyway and then we can swap?"

"Yeah of course," Shelby agreed easily. "Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere. Our flight might not leave for a few hours anyway."

"Okay perfect, thanks Shelby!" Katie replied with relief. "God, you're a lifesaver. Her parents owe you!"

Shelby managed a polite smile when the young woman scurried past her. After Katie disappeared from view, she continued her way towards the end of the corridor and paused for a moment outside the door, composing herself, before entering the comfortable, smartly designed and adaptable space that consisted of a daybed sofa that was already transformed into a bed and a pull-out workstation in the corner.

Rachel looked up from her position on the bed upon hearing somebody enter into the mini suite.

"Shelly!"

"Hey, Rach," Shelby offered a genuine smile this time while she crossed the room to meet her daughter. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," the ten year old replied as she burrowed underneath the covers. "I was waiting for you. I thought you weren't going to come back again."

Shelby's heart constricted at the worried frown imprinted across the little girl's face. She moved towards the bed and perched herself at the edge. "I promised that I would come find you," she said quietly.

Rachel seemed to consider this but she didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed her hand and pulled the older woman further onto the bed so that she could snuggle into her side. Shelby swallowed past the lump in her throat as she stroked the bangs away from her daughter's face, fighting every urge she had to cry at the fact that it had been more than ten years before they ever got to have this moment. An entire decade before she got to have her daughter in her arms like this.

The girl smiled sleepily at her when she wrapped her arm around her small frame and she automatically cuddled closer.

"Are you feeling a little bit better, Rach? Did you get to talk to your dads?"

"Mhmm, I'm okay," she said half-heartedly, glancing up at her with tired wide brown eyes. "We get to go home tomorrow?" Rachel began toying with the hem of Shelby's sweater, head falling to her shoulder.

"As long as the weather continues to clear up, we can get back on the plane first thing tomorrow morning," she assured, pressing her nose into the crown of Rachel's hair. "I'm sorry that we got stuck here, kiddo. I know it must be scary being away from your dads, but it'll only be a few more hours and then we can get you back in the air and back to your dad in Boston."

Forgoing her self-restraint, she placed a lingering kiss on top of brown locks.

Rachel stayed quiet for a moment and then picked up Shelby's hands and began absentmindedly threading her small fingers through the woman's longer ones.

"What are you thinking about, sweetheart?" Shelby asked curiously after a few more seconds passed, deciding that not knowing what was on her daughter's head was not something that she liked in the slightest. "Are you okay? What can I do?" She continued to stroke Rachel's hair while she waited for a response.

Rachel remained silent for a little while longer, still occupying herself with playing with Shelby's hands. "Will you… can you stay with me? Please Shelly?"

Shelby sucked in a breath and tightened her arms around her baby at the request. "Of course I will, Rach. I can stay with you as long as you need me to. Just get some rest and I will be right here."

"But w-where did you go earlier?" Rachel asked, still uncertain of what she did wrong. "Did I do something? Were you mad at me?"

Shelby decided that she's never disliked herself more for the way the young girl was currently looking at her with such a cutting insecurity.

"Oh, honey, _no_, you did nothing wrong," she hastened to soothe the little girl's worries away. "I was not mad at you at all. I'm sorry for leaving you earlier. I know that must have been so scary on the plane and you must have been confused but I-I found out some news… and I… I just needed some time to process it," she attempted her best to explain without delving into it. "I just needed some time to myself but I'm so sorry Rachel. I didn't mean for you to feel like that. You did _nothing_ wrong and I'm sorry for not coming back for you."

"Oh… it's okay," Rachel considered Shelby's answer with a dejected shrug. "I was just worried because…" her voice somehow got quieter and more timider, slowly transforming into a shell of the usually outspoken and energetic child that Shelby was used to. "B-because sometimes people don't like me very much and I got really sad and thought that you didn't anymore either."

At this, Shelby mustered all the strength in the universe not to sob. How could anyone not like the young girl in her embrace? And it broke her heart even more realizing that Rachel seemed to be so aware of it.

"I just… I think people, like kids at school, think I'm different," the pre-teen continued, realizing that this was safe to share here, safe to share with this woman. "I guess I can maybe be annoying. I sometimes talk too much and I like weird things… that's what I hear anyway from people. I… I don't want you to think that."

"Hey, Rachel, no," Shelby couldn't listen to any more, cutting in as she hooked her finger under the girl's trembling chin to lock their eye contact. "Please look at me, sweetheart. _No_. There is _nothing_ wrong with you. You are not annoying. Or weird. And maybe you are different but that's what makes you so great. Those people, whoever's saying those mean things are just confused or wrong. But I like you. I like you so much, Rach. And I don't think that at all. Never."

Rachel seemed to be floored by the response and the sincerity in Shelby's voice that made her feel like she had no choice but to believe her. The only people who have ever spoken to her like that were her dads. Nobody else has thought of her that way. And Shelby hardly knew her.

"Really?"

Shelby could probably say a lot more on the subject but decided against it upon the yawn that just broke past the little girl's lips. It wasn't the time. She just needed her to know that she wasn't going to go anywhere. "Yes, really. I promise. You're truly wonderful, Rachel. I-I like you more than you know, kid. In fact, you mean a lot to me."

"I do?" Rachel was even more confused, wanting to ask why before another yawn cut her off.

"You do," Shelby squeezed her hand. God, how badly she wanted to just tell her. "Come here, Rach," Shelby urged, settling her further into her arms. "I know you're tired sweetheart, so how about you get some sleep?"

"Mmm..." Rachel mumbled, eyes drooping shut as she spoke. "Mm'not tired."

Shelby stroked her cheek with a gentle finger. "Okay, baby, just close your eyes then for me. I promise I'll stay right here."

Rachel nodded and her eyes fell shut. "Shelly?"

"Yes, Rach?"

"Don't go."

"I won't," she promised, kissing her temple and rubbing her back when the girl turned her head and pressed it more firmly onto her chest. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Okay," Rachel could barely nod again against Shelby's soft sweater. "Right here."

"Right here, baby," Shelby kissed her cheek. "I'm right here."

"Mmm'Kay," her eyes still closed, her words now slurred and muffled against her chest. "Night now, Shelly."

"Good night now, Rach," Shelby whispered back. "Sweet dreams, my sweet girl. Sleep well. I'll be right here."

Shelby continued to hold her close for a few minutes more, not daring to move until it was obvious that sleep had won out. Even then, she only allowed herself to relax when she felt her daughter's body go limp and her breathing start to even out.

Perhaps she didn't have a right to Rachel right now. But in this moment, with her daughter, with her sleeping baby in her arms, she decided she was going to fight with everything that she had for it.

* * *

**A/N: **_Thoughts? More of the Berrys and about R's birth father in the next chapter. Thanks for reading! _


	4. Chapter 4

**Part IV**

* * *

Shelby drifted in and out of sleep for the next couple hours, attempting to get some rest but content to hold her peacefully sleeping child in her arms. It was only when she heard gentle knocking from the door did she break out her daze. She offered a quiet permission, and Terri peeked her head through a moment later.

The flight attendant grinned at the sight of the mother and daughter wrapped up in a sweet embrace and edged into the small suite, softly closing the door behind her.

"Aww, well aren't you two adorable," she smirked. "Mommy Shelly."

"Shut up," Shelby mumbled, but couldn't help but smile.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?" Terri whispered, patting the little girl's back affectionately before pulling back and settling herself in a chair by the bed. "Is she okay?"

"No it's alright, I've just been resting. And yeah, I think she's okay," Shelby sighed. She looked down at Rachel and stroked her cheek with the back of her two fingers until the worried frown between her eyes went away. "At least she's stopped crying. I honestly can't bear it when she does. But it really didn't take her long to fall asleep. She was exhausted."

"I bet," Terri hummed in sympathy. "Did you tell her?"

Shelby kept her eyes on the little girl, _her _little girl. "No. I think I'm going to wait. I don't know. I'm not… I don't intend to keep it from her but I think it's best to do this with her dads."

"Okay," Terri accepted with a nod. "I will obviously support whatever you decide. Just let me know how I can help. I'm always on your team."

"You're amazing," Shelby said sincerely. "Thank you."

Terri was an unlikely friendship. They were more different than they were alike. Sometimes, it felt like they bickered more than they bonded. But through it all, Terri was always fiercely loyal and forever dependable, so Shelby was more grateful than she can say for her coworker who turned into one of her best friends. As far as she was concerned, Terri was family.

"As long as I get to be Rach's cool Aunt Terri and get to take her to her first concert, or get her nose pierced, or find her a fake ID. I'll even weather her through all the teen angst because we all know your brothers will be no help in that regard."

"Uh huh sure, I'll kill you," Shelby said jokingly, though her smile faltered a bit.

Was it possible? A future with her daughter. A life with her in it. More... _together_? She was a little more than hesitant to allow herself to hope for that, to say the least.

"What is it?" Terri asked through the silence that followed. As good as Shelby was at masking her emotions, she's gotten even better at deciphering most of the woman's show faces.

"I don't know," Shelby said quietly, glancing down again, unable to keep her eyes off of her nearly _perfect_ child. "I just don't want to mess this up. But I-I don't know Ter, I think she needs me. We were talking earlier and she's growing up, you know? Time's going by so fast and she _is _going to be a teenager soon. I mean, she's going to be eleven next week. And there's so much more to come. I don't know, I told you I don't want to take her away from her dads, but maybe… maybe there's a place for me too?"

Terri smiled warmly. "Of course there is. I truly think that there is. I mean, come on Shel, even before you found out Rachel was really yours, you already had a soft spot for the kid. You already loved her. And this to me," she gestured to the pair tangled up in each other's arms. "Looks like Miss Rach feels the same exact way."

Rachel's eyes fluttered and Shelby tightened her grip just a little bit, pressing her nose to her temple. "I hope so."

"Honestly, Shel, I wouldn't doubt it," Terri assured, still gushing at the two. "Can I _puh-lease_ take a picture? You're seriously making me want to have a kid of my own here."

Shelby moved slightly, careful not to wake the girl, and pulled the pillow from behind her. "No," she chuckled, launching it at the blonde who just dodged the flying pillow by a hair. "You may not, you weirdo. Anyway, what's going on with you? Did you get some rest? See Dustin?"

Laughing, Terri picked up the pillow off the ground and cradled it close to her chest. "Yes, I just saw Dustin but _please_ let me tell you what I've been doing instead of sleeping."

"Alright sure," Shelby bit. "What did you do?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked," Terri replied, practically swooning. "After you left, I spent the last _two hours_ at the lounge bar talking to a certain freshman congressman from Massachusetts. His plane to Logan was grounded too."

Shelby could barely suppress an eye roll at the far too excited expression written all over the flight attendant's face. "Ter, you're not even divorced yet."

This time, it was Terri's turn to throw the pillow, making sure to stay clear of the sleeping child. "Hey, do not judge me. Will and I have been separated for a year now. And I literally just saw him on a date with that perky all-natural energy guidance counselor at Sheets-N-Things the other day."

"Alright," Shelby paused when Rachel shifted in her arms, waiting for any more movement from her daughter. Satisfied that she seemed to stay asleep, she lowered her voice and turned her attention back to the conversation. "You're right," she backtracked. "I'm just teasing. Of course you deserve to move on and be happy too. He's a congressman?"

"_Thank you," _Terri said defensively. "And _he is_. Not to mention, he's also handsome, intelligent, kind, funny, _and _available. We exchanged numbers. God, I love flying into DC."

"The worst," Shelby said in good nature. "But get yours, my friend."

Terri crossed her arms over her chest, reclining back into her seat in a triumphant manner. "I think I shall. Hey!" She shot up again a second later. "Speaking of Will, that reminds me. I asked about any openings at McKinley for you and he said that the choir director is actually retiring at the end of this school year. He offered to put in a good word for you when they begin their search. Doesn't that sound perfect if it worked out? It's in Lima, but that's still close to your family. Would you be interested?"

"Yes, absolutely," Shelby answered without much thought. She was going to be finished with her degree at the end of next spring, and she was only beginning to seriously think about next steps.

The chaos of the entire evening has only cemented her decision to switch careers. It was what she needed back then—the sporadic nature of the job, the spontaneity, the fact that no two days were the same. It kept her occupied. Distracted. But now, all she wanted was stability, a routine, days that would be filled and meaningful, a life that was permanent.

And in all honesty, she wanted it with her daughter.

"That would be great. I'd be very interested, so yes, please ask Will to put in a good word for me."

"I gotcha," Terri promised. "Also, now that I've told you the good news, are you ready to hear the bad?"

Shelby shrugged. She doubted that anything could be that bad to her right now. Not when she has everything she's ever wanted lying in her arms.

"_Well,_ I also just came from talking to Dustin and he just said he doesn't think we'll be able to get out until the afternoon now at the _earliest. _They all just got briefed in the crew lounge on the weather. The blizzard conditions are worse than they anticipated. Even Mark, that's his name, said that he was texting his staff and the Governor's expected to declare a state of emergency. The news on TV said they're still expecting significant snowfall through the morning. Boston might even issue a travel ban."

Shelby considered the news for a moment, her frustration rearing its ugly head again. "So what does that mean for us? Still grounded? And then I'm sure it'll be delayed because we were one of the last to get in so our departure time will be—"

"Yeah, probably one of the last," Terri sighed. "So I think even leaving early afternoon is a generous guess. But, who knows, maybe the weather will clear? We're used to this though, I just feel bad for Miss Rach over there. She should probably just get a flight back to Columbus at this point."

Shelby nodded and brushed the unkempt hair away from her daughter's beautiful face, her heart feeling like it could burst right out of her chest. _How_ did she let ten years go by? Even a single day.

"Well Katie's been mediating between the Berrys and the airline, so let's just see what they decide. Either way, I'm not leaving her here alone and I'm getting on whatever flight she gets on."

"I figured," Terri mused through a large yawn, stretching her arms out over her head. "Oh man, all that flirting must have worn me out. I am _so_ tired."

Shelby stifled back another laugh, rolling her eyes again. "I'm sure it did. Want to crash here?" She patted the other side of the bed opposite of Rachel. "There's room. And I set my alarm for five."

Already slipping off her heels and blazer, Terri grinned. "Thought you'd never ask!" She climbed into the bed carefully and settled in against the wall. "Can't wait to get me some Shelly snuggles as well."

Shelby grabbed the pillow again, landing the final blow. "Go to sleep before I kick you out."

* * *

With drooped shoulders and a deep frown, Rachel padded over to the flight attendant sitting in the large, oversized lounge chair by the window. Without word or warning, she climbed onto Shelby's lap and let out the most forlorn sigh as she reclined her back against the woman's chest.

Shelby smiled and kissed the top of Rachel's head, mindful not to mess up the braids the ten year old requested she do to her hair earlier. Content, she wrapped her arms around her child to secure her position in her lap. "How'd that go, sweetheart?"

"It was okay," Rachel said sadly, sighing again as if she was in great pain. "Dad and daddy said I should just get on a flight back to Columbus. But even that one is in _forever. _Katie said that's at four so that's like a whole 'nother _eight_ hours away! What am I going to do that whole entire time!?"

Rachel made a frustrated noise and kicked her legs in the air petulantly, reminding Shelby of just how young her daughter still was. She placed another kiss onto brown locks, unable to help herself. "I'm sorry kiddo," she sympathized. "I know this has been very frustrating, but we'll get you home soon. And I'm going to try to get on the plane back with you."

"Really?" Rachel asked hopefully, glancing up at the older woman with the widest eyes. "You'll come back with me? How come?"

"Yes, really," Shelby nodded and lightly pressed her forehead onto Rachel's, batting her eyelashes against her daughter's equally long ones. "Because I told you that I'd look after you, and I want to make sure you get home, kiddo," she smiled softly.

Rachel giggled at the sensation of their faces being so close together. Her Shelly was so silly. "But why?" She asked, chuckling when the flight attendant also rubbed the tip of her nose against her own. "That tickles."

Smiling, Shelby pulled her head back. "Because I want to stay with you, Rach."

"But don't ya have to work?" The ten year old questioned. Not that she was complaining. She loved spending time with Shelby. She just thought it was a little odd that the older woman was willing to drop everything for her and that she really didn't seem to mind either.

"Not anymore," Shelby replied, grateful that she was able to call in a favor from one of her coworkers based in the area to sub in the last leg of the Boston trip for her. It took some finagling in the crew lounge earlier and a convincing call to her supervisor, but she was able to get a switch so she could focus on her daughter. She wanted all of her attention on her. "I can stay with you now."

The little girl tilted her head in confusion. "But _how come?_" She couldn't help but ask. She just wanted to understand why Shelby was being so nice to her. Again, she loved it. But she didn't think she was all that special enough to her. "Why do you want to?"

Shelby bit her lip for a moment in contemplation over the prodding. She was going to be honest. They just had to wait. Right? She gently brushed the bangs away from her child's eyes, her hand lingering on her cheek. "Because, kiddo, I told you that we are… you…" she scrambled to clarify her thoughts. "We've known each other for a little while now, right? You've grown to mean a lot to me. I care about you. And I just want to make sure that you get back home safe and sound."

She tapped her nose before dropping her hand to softly tickle Rachel's middle, relief bubbling when the girl broke out into a peal of laughter. Little arms wrapped around her neck a moment later, and Shelby cocked her face back slightly from where Rachel's hair insisted on attempting to get up her nose.

"Okay, Shelly," Rachel hummed and pressed her face into Shelby's neck, which smelled like lavender and vanilla. She inhaled deeply and let the comfort of it wash over her. She _really_ liked this woman too.

Shelby rested her chin on top of her head, lifting her hand to rub her child's back. "Okay, Rach. Unless you don't want me to? I will do whatever it is you're most comfortable with, kiddo."

"No please stay with me," arms tightened their hold. "I want to be with you too, Shelly."

Almost eleven years. That's how long she went without _this_. She swallowed back the emotions that she felt were about to accost her, ignored the hurt in her heart, and forced herself to focus on the now. Terri was right. That was then.

"Then I'm right here, baby," Shelby continued to promise, squeezing lightly. "You've got me."

* * *

"But _Shelly, _why can't _I_ drive the airport cart," Rachel whined, not failing to stick her lower lip out ever so slightly.

Shelby mentally cringed and attempted to steel herself against the adorable pout being cast her way. She was zero for three now against it. Somehow losing the ability to say no, Rachel's been running laps around her all morning. And even aware of it, she still found herself indulging in the kid's every whim.

While she would've been perfectly content to relax in and take advantage of the first class lounge amenities, she quickly realized that Rachel was not a child who did well with free time and idle hands. It took the middle schooler two and a half chapters into them reading _The Goblet of Fire _together to declare that she was _so bored_.

And with hours to kill before their flight back to Columbus, Shelby naively promised the kid the finest airport adventures that Washington Dulles International had to offer. She got coaxed into buying nearly half of the children's fiction section at the airport bookstore, got conned into eating _just _ice cream for lunch at the food court, and was convinced to get a massage at the terminal spa. The little diva _insisted_.

But Shelby only resisted just a little bit, if at all. Truthfully, she'd buy out the entire duty free store if her daughter asked for it. This was the first time she ever got to do this for her child, and she was going to enjoy it.

The way Rachel's eyes lit up, how her mouth fell open in awe, and every thank you hug and kiss made it worth every single penny.

But now, they were in the middle of a standoff after driving the airport cart she, very much against airline policy, managed to borrow from one of her crew members to take on a joy ride up and down the terminal gates.

"Because you don't even know how to drive," Shelby reasoned. "Talk to me when you're sixteen."

Rachel chewed on her bottom lip in thought, trying to figure out which card to play here. She scrunched her eyebrows together, crossed her arms, and tapped her chin seriously. "But you could teach me," she offered a toothy grin. "_Please, Shelly."_

Shelby melted, almost considering it for a second before the worst case scenarios flashed through her mind. "Rach, absolutely not," she laughed at the way Rachel was blinking up at her. Man, the kid was good. "I don't want you to get hurt. And this vehicle is actually to transport luggage and passengers who may have trouble walking around to their gates. I know we were having fun, but it is not a toy."

Rachel's entire face fell at the lecture, not used to being denied by the woman. "Okay," she backed down. "I understand. I'm sorry. Thank you for taking me on it."

Shelby paused and assessed the distance from where they currently were to one of the airport bars that Terri was currently sitting at with the Congressman from Massachusetts. She sighed, cursing herself for what she was about to do next.

"How about we make a deal?" She pitched, amused at the way Rachel automatically lit up again at the offer.

"What deal?" The little girl asked, intrigued.

"If you do me a favor, I'll let you drive the cart just a little bit," she suggested and pointed to her friend only a few yards away. "Just over to Terri though. How does that sound?"

"Deal!" Rachel nodded excitedly.

"Okay kid," Shelby chuckled, only a tad bit ashamed at how weak she was. She leaned over and whispered her demands in the little girl's ears. She didn't need to, but she was being extra and wanted the precaution. A few seconds later, she pulled away and looked at the girl solemnly. "So you think you can do that for me?"

An eager smile bloomed across the ten year old's face, a giggle escaping from her lips. "Totally."

"Great," Shelby chuckled in matching enthusiasm. "Let's do it. Come here, kiddo," she adjusted the chair back and pulled Rachel onto her lap.

"Wait, but I thought you said I get to drive," Rachel pouted a little.

"You can," Shelby replied, loosening and then fastening the seat belt over the both of them. "You can drive with the wheel and direct the way to go but I control the gas and the brake. That's the deal. You can't even reach the pedals, Rach."

Rachel swung her legs on either side of Shelby's. "Oh," she realized. "You're right. Let's go!"

"Okay, put both hands on the wheel, please," she waited for the girl to follow her instructions. "We're going to go slow but try to keep it straight until we get to the corner and then you're going to turn the wheel slightly to the right."

Shelby pushed the key in the ignition, secured Rachel again in her lap, and then pressed her foot on the gas lightly causing the luggage cart to lurch forward.

"We're moving!" Rachel exclaimed, gripping the steering wheel even more. "Look, Shelly, we're going!"

"Yeah we are, baby!" Shelby laughed, drinking in the child's pure joy over something so small. They were going maybe not even five miles per hour. "You're driving!"

Rachel sat up even straighter and concentrated on the hallway ahead of her with rapt attention. A few passengers sitting and walking nearby waved to the mother and daughter, endeared by the sight of them making their way down the terminal.

"Okay, now the turn is coming up, so you're going to spin the wheel to the right a little bit," Shelby instructed, lowering their speed even more. "Watch out for the people ahead of you."

Rachel's eyebrows snapped together in focus and she bit down on her lip while she turned the wheel to the right direction. "I did it!"

"You did!" Shelby remarked proudly as they pulled up to their destination, accident-free. "Good job, kiddo. You were so great."

Rachel waited until the seat belt was unfastened before she turned around to give the woman yet another bear hug. "Thanks, Shelly! That was fun!"

Shelby automatically wrapped her daughter up in an embrace. Absolutely worth it. "But definitely no driving without me or an adult in the near future," she had to reiterate for safe measure.

Rachel nodded seriously. "Gotcha! Can I go say hi to Miss Terri now?"

"Oh, yes please," Shelby permitted, a devilish smile gracing her lips, already entertained. "Break a leg, kiddo."

Rachel jumped off the luggage cart gracefully and patted herself down before heading towards Terri sitting at the bar engaged in a spirited conversation. Halfway there, she turned around to glance back at Shelby who gave her an encouraging smile and thumbs up.

She squared her tiny shoulders and plastered on her acting face that she was just taught in drama club earlier this week. Clearing her throat, she walked straight between Terri and the man next to her and tugged on her shirt. "Excuse me?" Both adults stopped speaking and then turned their attention down at the little girl.

"Hi Miss Terri Schuester?" Rachel began innocently, the most angelic expression spread across her face. "Is that you?"

Extremely confused, Terri nodded her head. "Uh, yeah, hey R—"

"It's me, Rachel Berry," the pre-teen interrupted, still feigning innocence. "I think I'm your daughter. I think you're my mommy."

There was total and uncomfortable silence until the most bewildered and the wildest look of pure astonishment took over the Congressman's face, his jaw plummeting to the floor.

A beat later, Shelby's laugh broke through the moment.

Terri instantly whipped her head over to her laughing friend a millisecond later, putting the pieces together. "_Shelby_!"

"Run, Rach!" Shelby yelled, already starting the engine for their getaway. As soon as the giggling girl jumped into the cart, she reached over and put the seat belt over Rachel's lap before booking it away from the bar.

Still laughing, Shelby drove towards the direction of the crew lounge in order to return the cart. Once she put it in park, she turned to give the girl a high five. "That was perfect."

"His face looked like a cartoon character's!" Rachel said through her fit of giggles. "Terri is _sooo _gonna kill you."

"Just me?" Shelby nudged her playfully. "But you were my partner in crime. We're in this together, kiddo. If I'm going down, you're going down with me," she reached over to tickle the girl's side lightly, deeming Rachel's laugh as one of her most favorite sounds in the world.

"You're so funny," Rachel said, squirming away. "I.." she inhaled a lungful of air after Shelby finally stopped her unforgiving hands. "I wish _you_ were my mommy."

Shelby froze at that statement, not even realizing she had just walked them right into this topic. She got lost in the moment and really only had the prank on her mind, not the possible implications of it. "W-what did you say, Rach?" She asked for clarification, making sure that she heard that properly.

Rachel beamed, completely missing how the older woman was staring at her so intensely. "I said that I wish _you_ were my mom. I love you, Shelly."

At this, Shelby's heart soared. It's been almost eleven years. And she'd be damned if she was going to let another day pass them by.

"I love you too, Rach," she replied sincerely, happily. "I love you so much, and I think… I think that there's something that I need to tell you, sweetheart."

* * *

**A/N: **_Ok now it's TBC on all the dad drama, likely after an EC update, maybe even after I finish and post this new R and S story I'm currently writing, but definitely soon! Sorry I'm such a random and sporadic writer but alas! You guys are stuck with me lol thanks forever for reading! _


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